Crystal Clear
by buchinyawn
Summary: (discontinued until further notice!) Akiko Iwasa is a U.A. student with an interesting Quirk and an interest in Izuku Midoriya and his even more interesting Quirk. That's a lot of interest. Follow Akiko and Izuku, along with their friends, in an alternate version of the Boku no Hero Academia anime and manga. Slow burn.
1. Chapter One - UA Entrance Exam

**Crystal Clear - Chapter One**

U.A. Entrance Exam

" _Deep breaths, Akiko, that's the key. Don't you go forgetting that."_

Here it was, U.A. High School. It was a lot bigger than pictures made it out to be. She couldn't help but feel intimidated; even the gates to the school towered over her. It made sense, however. U.A. was the most reputable hero academy in Japan, of course it was massive.

...They also had high standards, when it came to who they would accept as students.

"Iwasa-san!" A voice rang out, distracting Akiko from her deep thoughts. She turned around and offered a smile, she could recognize that orange hair running towards her anywhere. "Hey, Kendo-san." Akiko spoke softly after the much more energetic girl caught up to her.

Itsuka, out of breath from running, breathed heavily. "I was so scared. I thought I was gonna be late, but I took a shortcut through some neighbourhood and I think it helped me get here faster. How are you holding up? Nervous?" She asked, recovering, with a slight smirk on her face. "I'll be alright." Akiko responded quietly, looking away. Inside, she felt like she was going to collapse. U.A. would never accept her, and she'd be forced to go to a much worse school, and she'd never be a great hero like her grandfather.

"Aw, c'mon, lighten up!" Itsuka could easily read her friends' expression. "You're one of a kind, Iwasa-san. I know you'll get in. You'd make an excellent hero!" She beamed, full of encouragement. Akiko frowned a little, not believing it to be true, but appreciated the kind words nonetheless. "Thanks, Kendo-san. You as well, I'm positive you'll pass with ease." Itsuka gave her a thumbs up in response. "Thanks! Let's get a move on, though, don't wanna be late!"

Akiko nodded, her blue ponytail swinging side to side as the two hurried through U.A.'s gates. They saw a crowd of potential students in one area, and went over. It seemed like they were all waiting for something to happen. As all the students began chatting with each other, Akiko drifted away. Itsuka had gone to speak to other friends, so she was left alone, watching from the sidelines.

Some uneventful time passed, until she happened to notice a small, green-haired teen muttering to himself, leaning against a wall. He seemed to be deep in thought, absorbed into a notebook he was reading. Curious, Akiko approached him. He didn't even seem to notice her appearance until she spoke out; "Hello."

The green-haired teen gasped, dropping his notebook in surprise as he blanked out, then started stuttering random words. After a moment, he was able to respond: "H-Hi, um, I-I think?" Akiko smiled at his behaviour. It was kind of amusing. "Sorry to scare you." She bent down and reached for his dropped notebook, then handed it back to him. He accepted it with shaking hands. "You just looked lonely over here, I'm very sorry if I'm bothering you. Are you nervous?"

"U-um, yeah, it's just… Scary…" He seemed to be sweating a lot, and couldn't make eye contact. Akiko frowned slightly, worried. "I'm really sorry. Am I scaring you? Should I leave?" He shook his head wildly. "No, i-it's okay! I'm just, u-uh, a jumpy person! Um…" He shuffled his feet, gripping his notebook tightly.

Present Mic, a top hero and U.A. teacher, then got up on a pedestal and announced to all that it was time to write the written exam, and began to lead everyone into a large examination room. Akiko held out her hand to shake. "My name is Iwasa Akiko. It's very nice to meet you."

"M-Midoriya Izuku…" The boy hardly managed to get out, and very carefully shook her hand. "I, um, I think we should go…" He was looking at the entrance to U.A.'s main building, dreading doing the exam in fear of failure but not wanting to miss it by being late.

"I know. Just wanted to introduce myself." Akiko adjusted her glasses. "I thought it would be nice to be acquainted with more than the people I grew up with, that's all, Midoriya-san." Akiko offered him a warm smile, her strangely pigmented white eyes studying him cautiously. "I know you're nervous, but I think you'll do great. You seem smart. I wish you the best of luck." She then walked away towards the entrance, leaving Izuku there, standing still with a look of surprise.

He… He managed to talk to a girl.

Shaking himself out of a daze, Izuku ran towards the door, making it in just in time. He noticed Akiko sitting down in a seat to take the exam. She seemed calm, but was fiddling with something in her hands. Was she really as relaxed as she seemed?

"Get a move on!" Present Mic yelled out, making Izuku and a few others who hadn't taken a seat rush to find one. "No cheating! We'll know." Present Mic was standing on a podium in front of the large exam room, supervising. "The practical exam will take place after the written one is finished. You have three hours to complete everything, if you take even longer we'll take your paper, even if it's incomplete. I think that covers about everything." Present Mic clapped his hands. "Good luck, everyone! Plus Ultra!"

Hearing U.A.'s motto seemed to invigorate Akiko to do well. Plus Ultra… Go above and beyond. She could do that. She can do it. A written exam she hardly studied for…? Easy peasy…

She began to stress.

* * *

The written exam was over. Despite all her worrying, Akiko thought she did pretty good. Knowing she passed the written portion, she now began to focus on the practical exam. Present Mic was once again explaining to everyone the rules and scoring system of the practical exam; they would be separate from classmates from their old schools and were tasked with destroying robots around a false city landscape. Some robots were worth more points than others, and one kind wasn't even worth any- it was just there to make it harder for the students.

As they were separated into groups, Akiko looked over and saw Izuku, and smiled a little. He seemed even more nervous than she did. She began to walk over, but was interrupted by someone stepping in front of her.

"Iwasa-san." They spoke, and she glared at him. "Monoma-san. No, I told you I don't agree with it." Neito laughed. "Come on, Iwasa-san, do me a favour. I'm useless in that exam and you know it, I need your Quirk."

Akiko was stuck. She felt it would be the right thing to help, but at the same time… She was afraid. Neito's Quirk is Copy, meaning he can take other people's Quirks and use them for a certain period of time. Akiko's Quirk could help him in the exam, but in a way, wouldn't that be cheating? And she didn't like the idea of someone else using her Quirk for something she doesn't agree with - Neito had done so in the past, as they went to the same school for years. However, Neito's expression made her give in. He dropped his attitude and showed that he was really scared to do this exam without another Quirk, his lip was trembling and his eyes seemed fearful.

"Fine." Akiko said bitterly. "But DON'T make it obvious you're using my Quirk. And leave anything you create on the ground, don't take anything and don't let anyone else take anything." She stared him down, being assertive and ensuring that he wouldn't cross her.

"I know, I know! You've told me before. Thank you Iwasa-san. You won't regret this." Neito touched her shoulder lightly, gave her a thankful smile, and merged with the crowd again. Akiko couldn't help but fear what he might do, however.

When she looked over to where Izuku was standing, he was gone, as everyone had begun to file in for the practical exam. Shrugging, she figured she could speak to him later, and entered the large arena. Mouth agape, she looked around in surprise; this arena was massive, and looked just like a real city!

"Three, two, one, GO!" Present Mic announced over a loudspeaker suddenly, shocking all the teens. None of them were expecting to start so soon.

Giant mechanical robots then started to roam the city, destroying buildings as they went past. The first one to act was a blonde rough-looking guy, who created some sort of explosion from his hands to propel himself towards the closest robot. He struck it with a huge explosion, causing it to crumble, which seemed to snap everyone else into action.

Smiling, Akiko could feel adrenaline pumping through her as she prepared herself. These robots were tall, they'd be hard for her to climb and difficult to defeat from below without knowing their structure well. Therefore, she went with one of her strategies from when she was young, and all of a sudden, thick metal wire began to form and expel from her hands, twisting and curling and forming a large spring. Akiko stopped and cut it off, then repeated the process again; creating two large springs. She then inserted them into her sneakers, and she was ready to go. Spring shoes, something she had invented when she was a child! These could help her reach the robots.

Jumping into the action, she was able to jump at least ten feet in the air with her upgraded shoes. Lunging towards the nearest robot, which was worth 1 point, she attached to its arm, and gripped on for life as it began to swing her around. Quickly acting, Akiko began to form something else from her hand, and suddenly, a marble-like substance came out from her wrist. It continued out, until she had formed a dagger. Smirking, she began to climb the robot, resisting the forces trying to make her go flying, and made it up to the robot's head.

Akiko felt a headache coming on, but ignored it as she struck the robot with her dagger. The dagger cut into the machinery easily, it was incredibly sharp. It seemed she struck a good spot, as the robot instantly fell to its knees. Quickly, Akiko took the dagger and jumped off the robot before it collapsed.

She smiled and admired her hard work, but realized this was only worth one point. She had a lot more points left to earn if she wanted to do well.

* * *

The rest of the practical exam continued in a similar fashion. Akiko jumped around, destroying any robots she came across and avoiding all other people. She never kept track of her points, just remained focused on her task. At one point her dagger got embedded in a three-point robot, so she created a new one, which made her more dizzy and uncoordinated. She had a rough time getting onto the robots and staying on them, with that side effect, which made her fear she didn't do well enough.

Towards the end of the exam, she noticed one of the zero-point robots being struck. The sound was horribly loud. Akiko had run into one of them earlier, and she knew it was terrifying. Whoever hit it must be incredibly strong. She kept at it, however, worrying about her wellbeing. She managed to get one last robot before Present Mic announced the exam was over.

As soon as she heard they were finished, Akiko jumped towards where she saw the zero-pointer being taken down. She was surprised to see Izuku lying on the ground, his arm entirely brown with a bruise and bent unnaturally, it was broken. Taking the springs off her shoes, she ran over. "Midoriya-san? Are you okay?" She asked quickly, taking in his injuries. His arm was in horrible condition, and he was unconscious.

"He saved me…" A girl's voice came from her right, belonging to a girl with short brown hair. "I would have been crushed… if it weren't for him…" Akiko looked at Izuku in shock. He was able to knock away and destroy such a massive machine? What kind of insane Quirk did he even have?

An incredibly short, older lady approached. She was dressed in nurse-like clothing. Some other people followed behind her with a stretcher, and they carefully placed Izuku on it. Akiko was grateful he was getting medical attention, it seemed like he really needed it…

She turned to the girl on her side, who seemed nauseous as she had a hand over her mouth. Must be a side effect to her Quirk, Akiko thought. Ignoring the pounding pain in her head, she offered a hand to the girl, helping her get to her feet.

"Two massive injuries… These kids must have strong Quirks this year." The older lady from before spoke, shaking her head. Akiko, intrigued, approached her. "Excuse me, miss, but who was the other injured person? Are they okay?"

"I don't really know." Recovery Girl, Akiko recognized her as, sighed. "It's a strange way he got injured, my dear. He had some sort of stone poking out of his hand, it was a real mess."

Akiko's heart stopped. "W-what… What kind of stone!? Please, miss, tell me, this is important!" Her eyes were wide with fear. ' _Monoma-san, what have you done!?_ ' She panicked.

Recovery Girl seemed to fear the girl's reaction. "I'm not certain. But it looked like a diamond of some sort."

"A diamond…" Akiko's migraine and dizziness seemed to finally catch up with her as her legs buckled, and she collapsed.


	2. Chapter Two - Aftermath

**Crystal Clear - Chapter Two**

Aftermath

" _Don't lose faith in your abilities. I know you'll be an amazing hero one day..."_

Akiko groaned as she awoke. Her eyes had opened, but she was blinded by a bright light. She seemed to be in some sort of medical ward.

"You're awake!" A familiar voice gasped, one that she recognized as her father. "Akiko, you scared me! I told you not to overdo it in that darn exam, and look where you ended up! How much did you even make? You ended up passing out and with your arm in a sling, AGAIN! I'm going to talk to your mother about this." He rambled on and on, frustrated and worried.

"Dad, stop. I'm fine." Akiko responded, looking down at herself. She was in some sort of hospital bed. She tried moving her hand, and was met with pain, her old buddy. This was something she was pretty used to. She looked over to her father to see he was still in his hero suit; he must have been working when he got a call that she was injured.

Out of nowhere, Akiko remembered what caused her to pass out, and she sat up abruptly. "Wh-where's Monoma-san!?" Her dad developed a stern look. "That troublemaker? Why does he matter?" Akiko's breathing was quick as she feared the worst. "Dad, he copies quirks, a-and I let him use mine, and Recovery Girl-sensei said that he made a diamond…"

Keiichi, Akiko's father, opened his mouth in shock. "Didn't you tell him not to?" Akiko nodded. "I've known him since we were little. He knows all about diamonds and the effect they have with my Quirk… I just want to know if he's okay…"

Recovery Girl entered the room, and upon hearing this, she nodded. "Are you talking about Midoriya-san? He's alright. He just ended up like you, a broken arm." The blue-haired girl shook her head. She was glad to know Izuku was safe, but was more worried about Neito. "I meant Monoma-san, Recovery Girl-sensei. He made a diamond using my Quirk… That's really dangerous. Even a tiny one could knock me out for days."

Recovery Girl sighed, she didn't seem to enjoy that she had reckless students to deal with. "He's unconscious, but he should be fine. There will be scarring on his hand, the diamond he was making was only small, about the size of a penny."

"If that's the case, he's going to have a lot more problems than a scar. He won't remember anything from the exam, probably, he might lose feeling of certain limbs, he might be emotionally affected and hallucinate… and have muscle spasms or cramps… and he could break a bone like I did… " Akiko rambled on, remembering all the things she had memorized. "R-Recovery Girl-sensei, he needs lots of calcium. My Quirk uses calcium in my body to create gems, a-and the more complicated or harder the gem is, the more it uses. H-he's suffering from hypocalcemia from trying to make a diamond, which is so extreme it's life threatening… Please make sure he gets plenty of calcium! And that he isn't moved or disturbed, and that he's constantly monitored for the next week!" Akiko pleaded, both showing her knowledge of the medical impacts and worry for her childhood friend as well.

Recovery Girl seemed surprised by the teen's knowledge, but nodded. "I'm aware, your father provided me with information on your Quirk and how it might affect Monoma-san. Don't worry, he'll be up and on his feet soon. I'll be watching his recovery closely and making sure to heal him with necessary." Recovery Girl got up from the stool she had sat on. "But if you're feeling fine, you can leave whenever you like. Just watch your arm. It's not broken, but there's a small fracture from when you hit the ground." Recovery Girl was about to leave, when Akiko asked one more question.

"We won't get in trouble, right? His Quirk is copying other Quirks, and I didn't know if that would be against the rules…" Akiko spoke up, to which Recovery Girl shook her head. "It was a nice thing for you to do, let him use your Quirk. He wouldn't have stood a chance otherwise. He just got a bit too power-hungry, I think." Recovery Girl offered a slight smile. "Rest up. Exam results will be announced later this week." And with that, she left.

* * *

The car ride home was unpleasant. Keiichi was nagging his daughter endlessly about how her safety was more important than passing the exam, and so on. Akiko disagreed, however, she felt it was worth getting mildly injured in order to be a student in the most prestigious hero academy. She kept that to herself due to her father's stubborn nature.

The rest of the (somewhat long) trip was mostly the same, until Keiichi abruptly slammed on the brakes. "Akiko, stay in the car." He said gravely, and exited the vehicle. Akiko peered out the window and gasped in surprise, there were a few police cars surrounding a small convenience store. There must be a robbery going on, as police were pointing their guns at the establishment. Akiko concluded that there could be a hostage, since they weren't invading the store.

Making sure that nobody was looking, she stealthily left the car. Her arm may have been fractured, but that wouldn't stop her from helping.

All of a sudden, one of the windows on the side of the store shattered. A villain, covered in black fur and clutching a bag of what she assumed was stolen goods, jumped out and begin to run for it - down an alleyway that was at the store's side. The police began firing their guns, and she saw her father as the only hero, attempting to chase them down from the fire escape above the alleyway (he had to avoid being shot, after all).

Instinctively, Akiko ran to get a better view of the alleyway, and saw the villain at the end of it, about to turn a corner and make a getaway. She went with her gut instinct take over, and instantly summoned a small throwing knife from her left hand, made from calcite. Without sparing another thought, she threw it with as much force as she could muster.

The villain was far away from her, about ten meters, but she landed a shot on them; the knife nicked the villain's side, causing them to fall to the ground in pain. Akiko couldn't help but pump her fist, that accuracy was better than normal.

The police were quick to apprehend the furry villain; when sparing him another glance, Akiko realized they resembled a bear. Keiichi stormed over to his daughter, wearing an unreadable expression. She feared the worst, another scolding and more nagging, but she got an affectionate smile. "That was great, Akiko. You really nailed him… I'll lay off you for a bit. After all, it's certain you're gonna be a great hero." He breathed heavily, a little tired from the chase. "I just hope you're a _careful_ hero."

The blue-haired teen smiled at her dad, her white pupils hardly visible in the sunlight. "I promise, I'll try." Keiichi pat her shoulder as he passed her, proud, yet still worried for the future. He was telling the truth when he said his teenage daughter had a lot of promise to be a great hero, but that was exactly what was worrying him. Great heroes always faced the greatest villains.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for the kind review, follows and favourites! Sorry there was no authors note on the first chapter, I wanted to fill it with only story so you'd all be interested.

As well, apologies for the cliffhanger on the first chapter. Some of you seemed to not like it, haha.

Next chapter includes the results of the U.A. Entrance Exam! Will Akiko make it in? (obviously...)

I hope you enjoyed the quick update!

Thanks for reading, stay tuned!

-buchinyawn


	3. Chapter Three - Origin

**Crystal Clear - Chapter Three**

Origin

" _Shh, shh… Don't cry. It'll work out okay. I know it will."_

Deep breaths. In, and out. In, and out. In, and out…

Akiko was struggling to remain calm. She knew herself to be a chill and relaxed person, but when it came to U.A., she was a nervous wreck. Maybe even worse than Izuku was on the exam.

' _No, I take that back. He was much worse.'_

It had been a week since the exam - Akiko waited patiently at home, and even begun training herself. Similar to the villain she helped catch the other day, she did target practice on targets she built herself from cardboard in her backyard. Hopefully she didn't do all that training in vain; she wanted to go to U.A., and only U.A.

Slowly, she opened the envelope received in the mail. Her father looked on anxiously, fiddling with his hands as he eagerly awaited the results. Akiko's mother was currently out at work, and her grandmother, Fumiko, watched with a deep frown. Akiko pulled the paper out, and gulped. This was it.

Scanning her eyes over the paper, her eyes went wide and filled with tears.

She had done it.

She placed 19th.

She's going to be a student at U.A. High.

Akiko let a gigantic smile take over her face as she seemed to vibrate with joy. She quickly placed the slip of paper detailing her performance and when the semester begins on the table, allowing her father and grandmother to read it. Her father reflected happiness for his daughter as well, but was wracked with worry on the inside. "That's excellent, Akiko, I knew you could do it."

Akiko nodded, seemingly too happy for words. However, those feelings plummeted when she saw her grandmother's expression - disapproval. "Nana, I-I…" she looked down and shuffled her feet. She knew this was going to happen.

"No, I understand." Fumiko responded quietly, and walked away. "You'll understand why I've been warning you all this time. I've been trying to protect you, my dear, but if you won't listen to me, I suppose that's your own choice." Clutching her cane, she took a seat in the living room on the couch, and reached for a book.

Akiko, clutching the envelope tightly in her hands, felt more tears - yet not happy ones. "Nana, don't you understand!? This is what I want! Heroes are ALWAYS risking themselves to save people! I understand that could happen to me, and so did Pa! But it's not stopping me from doing what I WANT to do!" Akiko yelled passionately, then quickly grabbed the slip of paper, and ran up the stairs. She didn't want to deal with her father's reaction to her outburst, and she knew her grandmother would say nothing in return. She never did.

* * *

Another uneventful week had passed, Akiko avoided her grandmother like the plague. She did love her nana, but sometimes, her hatred of heroes could be hard to deal with, especially since it was the teen's dream to become one…

Those dismal feelings for heroes all originated from her grandfather, Kaito. He was an amazing hero who went by the name of "Hydro". He specialized in fire rescues, because of his quirk - Biodro, which allowed him to control the water inside of his body and move it around at will.

It all ended much sooner than anyone had thought… Kaito passed away in the line of hero work, trying to save a villain from a fire. Akiko was only seven years old. And because of this, Fumiko had grown to hate heroes who risk their lives, risk the happiness of their loved ones. It was cruel, but she loved Kaito with all her heart, letting go of him without remorse or blame would be difficult for her.

Akiko shook her head, shaking herself out of her thoughts. It was time to focus. She was standing underneath a subway shelter, awaiting the next train. Having said goodbye to her parents and grandmother, who all stayed home to bid her goodbye, she was ready. It was time to go U.A.

A train approaching alerted Akiko, and she stood up and prepared herself. The mechanical doors opened, and she stepped on, taking a deep breath. Pleasantly surprised, she took a seat next to a familiar face. "Hello, Midoriya-san. Still nervous?"

She must have scared him again, as he jumped about a foot into the air, out of his seat. "U-um, Iwasa-san! Hi!" He quickly sat back down, seeming tense. "C-congratulations on making it in?" Akiko offered him a patient smile. "It's okay. I don't bite. But, thank you. I was pretty excited to hear that I made it into U.A… but I heard from Kendo-san that apparently you didn't score any villain points, but somehow placed 7th with rescue points only? That's pretty amazing, you know!"

Izuku's face was entirely red from the simple praise, and he began to stutter unintelligibly. Akiko lightly laughed at his behaviour. "It's alright, I promise, there's no need to be nervous around me." Izuku simply nodded. "Th-thank you." Adjusting himself, he faced her slightly as they were both on the same bench. He still couldn't manage eye contact, however. "Is your arm o-okay? I, uh, overheard Recovery Girl-sensei talking to my mom about two other kids that got hurt… She said th-there was a girl with 'crazy b-blue hair', w-who fractured her radial bone, so… I just assumed that was you."

Akiko nodded, rubbing her arm a bit. "Completely recovered, thanks for worrying, Midoriya-san. I'm more concerned for you, however, I saw what you did to that zero-point robot… Your entire arm was coated in a single bruise! That was crazy!" She exclaimed, in both worry and admiration. "What's your Quirk, how is it so strong?"

"U-um!" Izuku exclaimed, panicking. He can't tell her the truth. "I-I don't have a name for it, since I, uh, was a late bloomer… I c-can't control it well either, so it hurts me when I use it? B-but, Recovery Girl-sensei healed me really well…?" He spoke this like a question, as if unsure if Akiko would accept this. She did, however, and frowned, worried about Izuku's health if his Quirk did such a thing to him. "Well, I'm sure with practice you'll learn to control it better." She brushed some loose light blue hair form her eyes. "Either way, I think it was an incredibly noble thing for you to do, to risk your wellbeing in the exam to save… What was her name again?" Akiko blanked, unable to recall the brown haired girl's name.

"Uraraka-san?" Izuku suggested, still nervous and tense, but recovering, Akiko nodded eagerly. "Yes, her. It seemed she did well in the exam as well."

"Actually, Iwasa-san…" Izuku gripped the notebook that Akiko recognized, the one she had picked up for him after he dropped it. "I was wondering what your Quirk was. I r-research Quirks all the time f-for my notebooks, you see, for future use and a-all…" Izuku was lying when he said this; sure, he'd love to document details on every Quirk possible, but he never justs asks people out of the blue. He usually observes Quirks being used from afar. In all honesty, he did this because he was naturally curious about the tall, mysterious girl who was considerably kind to him.

Akiko seemed surprised by his question, but nodded. "Sure, I can tell you all about it. My Quirk's name is Crystallize, it allows me to create things like gemstones from the calcium stored in my body." She lifted up her previously injured arm. "Th-that's why my bones are so thin and easy to break, because they don't have enough calcium - that usually goes towards making things." Izuku began to wildly take notes, immensely intrigued. Some other passengers on the bus looked at him, perplexed, but he didn't seem to notice.

Akiko chuckled at his odd yet commendable actions, then continued. "Depending on how hard or large the substance I try to make, it'll use up more calcium. That's why I always have milk around, it's the only thing I drink." She reached into her bag and pulled out a water bottle, full of an opaque, white liquid. "Gets kinda bland after a while, but it helps sustain me."

"H-how do you know what kind of substance to make?" Izuku asked quickly, his pencil scratching wildly at his paper. Amused, Akiko shrugged. "I use something called the Mohs scale to help. It's rated from one to ten, and the higher the substance is, the more sturdy it is and the harder it is for me to make. For example," Akiko held out her palm, making a greenish-whitish crystal with ease. "This is a talc crystal - otherwise known as baby powder. But it's rated 1 on the Mohs scale, so I can make it really easily without losing much calcium." She handed Izuku the crystal to hold. "The only thing is, because it's so low, it's really fragile. Useless in hero work." Reaching over, Akiko merely scratched the crystal with her fingernail and it became powder.

"That's s-so cool!" The green-haired teen exclaimed loudly, studying the crystal. "Wh-what about something up higher? Like something rated 10 on the scale?" Akiko anticipated this question and rubbed her arm gingerly. "I'd rather not talk about that."

Akiko felt a vibration, and reached into her coat pocket to get her phone. Inside a group chat, she brightened up once she saw a message from Neito. "Oh, thank goodness…" She mumbled to herself, relieved.

 _CopyCat : Sorry to leave you guys worried. I'm all good._

Itsuka was the first to reply to him.

 _Battle-fist : You KNEW what would happen, Monoma-kun! Don't you ever pull another stunt like that again! And you better apologize to Iwasa-san later, she's been worried sick about you._

 _CopyCat : I know, I know. I get to see her in person, anyways. I just barely passed._

Akiko was looking forward to seeing her childhood friend, but at the same time, dreaded bringing up the topic of diamonds.

Izuku, who was waiting patiently for Akiko to finished, apologized. "S-sorry if I pried too much about your Quirk." He was staring down at his feet, worried of how she would react. Akiko just smiled, however. "It's okay, Midoriya-san. You didn't know."

The subway's loudspeaker suddenly turned on, announcing that they were arriving at the station near U.A.

"This was a nice chat, Midoriya-san. I hope we end up in the same class." Akiko told him honestly, offering a smile and a wave before getting up to head off the bus. Izuku followed after her, not before waving back, and paused to think to himself for a moment. _'Why would someone as interesting as her even care about someone as boring as me?'_

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading! I hope this chapter was enjoyable, I had fun writing Akiko and Izuku interacting some more, and also explaining Akiko's Quirk since I think it's been kind of vague for the past two chapters.

 **Review Response:**

Kosongbird - Yep! Akiko will be in class 1-A. Normally I would put her in with 1-B so the characters aren't all the same, but not much is canonically known about their Quirks and personalities, so I just added in Neito and Itsuka - the more commonly seen 1-B students in, and I'm giving them a more prominent role in the story as Akiko's friends.

1fangirl12 - I'm glad you think so! And no worries, your wish is my command. Poof. I gave you guys 3 chapters within 48 hours.


	4. Chapter Four - Stepping Stone

**Crystal Clear - Chapter Four**

Stepping Stone

" _It's remarkable, don't you think? How we can all live such normal lives, even though we're surrounded by super powers. Since when could something comparable to magic become so mundane and normal?"_

Not long after leaving the subway, Akiko hurried towards U.A., which towered in the distance. She had witnessed its magnificence before, but it still enamoured her. It was still about a five minute's walk away when she heard someone running behind her, and turned around to see.

"Midoriya-san? What's the matter?" She asked, knowing that he would obviously be taking the same route to U.A. as her, but she didn't think he would approach her due to his nervous nature. She didn't mind at all, however. "Um, would… would you l-like t walk? To U.A.?" Smirking a little, Akiko feigned innocence. "I already am walking there, Midoriya-san, what do you mean?"

"I- um, I meant we should. Walk t-together." Izuku stammered, nervous. He always got like this around girls, and even other boys, depending- his social skills weren't the best. "I, uh… Wanted to know more about your Quirk?" This time, Izuku wasn't lying, he truly was interested. "Like what other substances you can create. A-and why your eyes are such a unique colour."

"Well, I'm not one hundred percent sure why my irises are pure white. Maybe it has something to do with the colour in my hair?" She offered, unsure. "Your hair? Isn't it dyed?" Izuku asked curiously. "Or is i-it related to your Quirk too?" Akiko nodded her head slowly, making a popping noise on the 'p' as she said "Yep". "Normally my hair is dark blue at the roots and fades to a light blue, but when I use up a lot of calcium, the colour gets drained, and the roots turn light blue that fades to white. Kinda freaky, I don't like it." Her expression was one of disgust. "Makes me look like an old lady."

Izuku couldn't help it; he let out a hearty laugh, snorting a little in the process. He stopped himself instantly, embarrassed, but Akiko gave him a warm smile that calmed him. "There's a laugh. It suits you." Izuku eyed the taller girl, confused. "S-suits me? What does?" Akiko shook her head from side to side, as if it was something he should know. "Smiling. Laughing. Being happy. A smile is when a person looks their best, because they're showing the world they're full of joy, or confident, or at peace. At least, that's what my Pa told me." Ponytail blowing in the wind, she gave Izuku a quick thumbs up, but grew concerned when he didn't reply, and seemed to stare off into space. "Midoriya-san…?"

Shyly, Izuku smiled and nodded. "Th-that's really wise, Iwasa-san. Th-thanks for reminding me… I've b-been so nervous that I've forgotten how it important it is to smile in the f-face of danger, just like All Might. O-or, uh, in this case, failure, heh." He reached back and scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed again from confusing his words.

Akiko then gave him two thumbs up. "You got it, dude." She paused, picking up on Izuku mentioning the number one hero All Might. "Say, aren't your Quirks similar? You and All Might's, I mean?" Izuku began blabbering, not a single word could be understood. "U-um!" He began, but was spared from the interrogation. Akiko eyed him suspiciously as a warning bell rang out, signaling that homeroom was about to begin soon.

Dropping the topic entirely, Akiko took out the slip of paper detailing directions and more on her classroom in U.A. Studying it, she saw that she was in Class 1-A. "Hey, Midoriya-san, what class are you in?" She calmly asked, contrasting Izuku's restless behaviour- he was bounding from foot to foot, not wanting to interrupt the tall teen, but terrified. "There's n-no time, we need to hurry to class!" He proclaimed hastily.

Sighing, Akiko rolled her eyes. "Relax, Midoriya-san. It's just a warning bell, it's only 7:05." Nonetheless, she reached over and gripped his wrist, pulling him along as she began to walk into the establishment. "I'm sure Class 1-A and 1-B are close to one another, if that's the class you're in." She looked behind her shoulder, seeing Izuku had tensed up from her touch. "If you wanna hurry, then start moving your feet. You're slow us both down by making me drag you."

Izuku couldn't express how surprised he was; he certainly didn't expect the crystal creating girl to touch him, let alone drag him to class. He didn't really mind the sudden aggressive behaviour, it just felt to him that they were merely acquaintances and she was already making physical contact with him without a second thought. Snapping out of his trance, he slipped his arm away, and began walking on his own, directly behind her. "About time. You're heavier than you look." Akiko commented, keeping up a lively pace that Izuku struggled to match with his shorter legs.

As they walked, Izuku took his own bag off, straining to rummage through it as he speedwalked. After some time, he located his own info sheet; and noted that he was in Class 1-A as well. His eyes lit up as he put it away, and found himself about to ram into the wall - then Akiko stopped him in his tracks. "Hey, before we go in…" She murmured, unsure. Other students passed by them, getting into class.

Before Akiko could continue, a blonde delinquent-looking student rammed into Izuku. "Get out of my way, Deku." He spat in a nasty tone, and Izuku cowered away from him. Akiko, angered at this guy's lack of manners and respect, glared at him as he stalked into the classroom. Declaring him a jerk under her breath, she faced the shorter U.A. student. "I have an idea."

"Wh.. what's that…" Izuku practically whispered as he appeared meek. Akiko felt bad for him, but wanted to put her idea out in the open before they were required in class. "How about we do a challenge?" She smirked slightly, trying to help him feel better and show off her confidence. "Try and make a bunch of friends, and at lunch, we can have this little group table. I think it's a lot better than a lonely lunch, huh?"

Izuku commented back inside his head: _'I'm no good at being social, I'd much rather be alone, or even have it be the two of us. That's probably wishful thinking, though…'_ Despite this, he saw how eager Akiko was to do this, and nodded. If he weren't such a nervous wreck, having a group of friends to hang out with sounded enjoyable.

"Great!" She exclaimed brightly, clapping her hands together, then faced the doorway. "Good luck in there, Midoriya-san. Deep breaths." She advised, then took a step forward.

* * *

 **A/N:** We hit 500 views! Thank you so much for your support, everyone :) don't be shy, though! I love getting reviews and responding to them! Feel free to ask me anything, whether story related or not.

1fangirl12: I'm so glad you think so! I actually came up with Akiko about a month ago when me and my friends discussed original character ideas with each other. In the beginning, she was going to be able to use ANY vitamin or mineral to create things, and each combination would produce something different, but that would have gotten way too complicated, so I just stuck with good ol' calcium. Milk is good for you!

Guest-san: Thank you so much! I really dislike characters that are like Mary Sues, so I always strive to not go down that path, even though it might be tempting to write a flawless character at times.


	5. Chapter Five - The Challenge

**Crystal Clear - Chapter Five**

The Challenge

" _Making friends, hey? That's easy. Just be yourself. Only the truest of friends will accept you as who you really are, no matter what."_

It was pretty chaotic, being in a classroom surrounded by moody teenagers with powerful Quirks, but Akiko didn't take long to warm up to them. Of course, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows; there were some students she grew to dislike. For example, the jerk who shoved Izuku, and an incredibly short boy who was incredibly perverted. At least he ignored Akiko, she thought, knowing that she probably wasn't as attractive looking as the other girls. She didn't care about that kind of thing.

Right as they got into class, they began a Quirk Assessment test. Akiko didn't worry much over that, she performed each test above-average due to her Quirk allowing her to create whatever needed for each situation - she found this similar to another girl, Momo, but hadn't gotten the chance to talk to her. Though Akiko was confident in her own abilities to do well in this sort of test, she was worried for Izuku. A Quirk like his was not useful for this activity.

Aizawa-sensei, their homeroom teacher, announced that the student who got last place would be expelled. In between activities, Akiko approached Izuku and chatted with him normally on other topics, trying to keep him from worrying himself too much, and staying focused on the tasks. When Aizawa confronted Izuku on his Quirk and how he used it, Akiko stepped up.

"Sensei, sorry to interrupt, but I think you're wrong about-" She was cut off by her homeroom teacher holding up a hand. "I'm the teacher here, Iwasa-san. Let me handle him." Shrinking back, Akiko sent a fretful yet supportive look toward Izuku. He seemed grateful for that.

But everything turned out well in the end. Shota had been lying about expelling the worst-performing student. Relieved, Akiko approached Izuku. "You did good. Using only a finger like that? Super smart!" Izuku, unable to speak only stuttered, and offered a tiny smile that Akiko reciprocated. "So, how are you doing? Recruit anyone for lunch yet?" The taller teen asked. "Uh, sort of? Uraraka-san sort of invited herself…" Izuku rubbed his arm sheepishly. "Hope that's okay?" Akiko nodded eagerly, and the two began to walk back to class after the test. "That's great! She seems like a really nice girl."

"Who does?" A pink-skinned girl with wild hair suddenly interrupted the both of them. Izuku jumped in surprise, retreating a bit. Akiko was surprised by the sudden intrusion into their conversation, but certainly not to the same extent. In fact, she was mildly annoyed that someone butted in, but decided to ignore it. "Oh, I was talking about Uraraka-san." Akiko commented. "Nice to meet you, by the way. You're… Um…" She tried her best to recall her name, but couldn't.

"I'm Ashido Mina!" She flashed a large smile. "You're Iwasa-san, right? Nice to finally speak to you!" She turned to Izuku. "And you're Deku, right? Hard to forget someone like you. You're Quirk's something special, alright." He winced, staring down at his shoes. "N-no, I'm Midoriya Izuku. K-Kacchan calls me that, i-it's a nickname…" He spoke quietly. Mina tilted her head to the side. "Isn't his name Bakugo?" Izuku seemed hesitant, so Akiko continued for him. "Yes, Midoriya-san has a nickname for him too, I think. You two must be childhood friends, right?" The short teen nodded. "Sort of."

"Well, it's great to meet you two, but we should probably head to class." Mina began to walk ahead of them. "Wait, one more question." She stopped abruptly and turned around on her heels. "Are you two dating? It seems like you're always around each other."

Both Izuku's and Akiko's faces went entirely red. Izuku seemed unable to move, let alone speak and deny this fact, so Akiko shook her head wildly. "N-no, we're just friends, Ashido-san. We only met at the entrance exam!" Mina grinned. "I see, I see. Well, I'll see you two in class-" "Actually," Akiko cut her off before she could walk away. "We were wondering if you wanted to sit with us at lunch? We're trying to get a little group together, it should be fun." Mina shook her head up and down. "I'd love to! See ya then!"

Mina walked ahead, leaving the other two behind. "Let's get moving, we can talk as we head back." Akiko proposed. Izuku responded with a simple nod, still recovering from what Mina had said. However, it just occurred to him that Akiko had referred to them as 'friends', not acquaintances. Sure, it made him nervous again, but happy at the same time.

"So, that's four people so far- besides us, I mean." Izuku looked up at her, perplexed. He didn't speak yet, but the taller girl seemed to understand. "During the exam, I talked to some more people. Kirishima-san and Tsu-chan wanted to join. I asked Tokoyami-san since he was by himself, but I think he's a bit of a loner, because he said he had something to do."

Izuku's eyes widened. "Iwasa-san, w-we just started at U.A. and you're already referring to someone with 'c-chan'?" Akiko huffed a little. "No, I'm not that rude. She asked me to call her that." Nodding, Izuku was glad with their little roster of people to eat lunch with. Eijirou seemed like a really friendly and determined guy from what he'd observed, and Tsuyu also seemed like a very kind person. Despite his lack of social skills, he was excited. It was going to be fun.

* * *

Classes went by, and then came lunch. Izuku was one of the first in the lunch line. Once he got his food, he looked around the entirety of the cafeteria… Akiko was nowhere to be seen. Frowning a little, Izuku found a large table and sat, hoping the ones that Akiko recruited knew that he'd be a part of the group too. Ochako approached with her tray of food, greeting Izuku. He answered back, but was distracted. Where in the world was Akiko?

* * *

She was overcome with guilt. Neito had hauled her off to talk, since they were in separate classrooms. Akiko felt bad. She knew Izuku was waiting for her. "Look, Monoma-san, everything's fine, okay? I need to go, I have somewhere to be-"

"I'm not buying it." He placed his hands on his hips. "You should be lecturing me. Telling me that I knew how dangerous it was. Asking me why I even did it." Neito sighed. "What's gotten into you? You're not like this." Akiko crossed her arms in frustration. "Fine, I'll play along. Why did you make a diamond, knowing all about the dangers and what it would do to your body?" She rolled her eyes.

"Easy!" Neito seemed relieved that Akiko was paying attention to him now, yet he looked away as he said: "Diamond's the strongest thing you can make, right? So I thought I could handle it, and it'd help be score big on the exam." The blue-haired girl frowned deeply. "Bullshit, Monoma-san, and you know it. I didn't ask earlier because I already know."

Neito began to sweat. "W.. What are you talking about?" Akiko placed on of her hands over her face, nearly laughing. "I know you're a big liar, Monoma-san. You made that diamond at the end of the exam thinking you could keep it and sell it, didn't you?" The copying Quirk holder took a step back. "N-no…" He looked around wildly, as if trying to find a way to escape.

"Yes, Monoma." Akiko mustered a cruel tone, not even suffixing his name. "Quit lying to me. I know you, and I know how you're family is doing. I understand why you did it, but I'm still going to be mad at you." Akiko sniffed, emotional. Izuku was no longer her priority. "You know I'm against using my Quirk for some kind of profit. A-and you risked your own health for it." Tears started to gather in her eyes. "You… You have no idea how scared I was, Monoma-san… Scared that you wouldn't make it…"

Neito's eyes widened. "I... Iwasa-san… I'm so sorry…" He shuffled his feet awkwardly. "I promise. I won't do that again." Akiko didn't restrain herself anymore and let her tears flow freely. She took a step forward and pulled him into a hug. "You better not, you jerk. We've been friends since w-we were little kids, if anything were to happen to you…" Neito was shocked. Akiko never really showed any sort of affection much. That was what Itsuka specialized in. However, he unfroze and hugged her back, and even began tearing up a little himself. He wouldn't show Akiko that, though - he'd be mortified.

Akiko let go of him after a few seconds, wiping her tears away with her hands balled up. She was smiling, glad Neito let his 'persona' drop to reassure her. "You wanna know one thing I never understood about me, you, and Kendo-san?" "No, what are you referring to?" He answered simply, looking away from her. "How we always called each other '-san'. The three of us have been close for years, although you and Kendo-sa…" She paused and corrected herself. "You and Kendo-chan have always been closer. Maybe you should call her that too." Akiko gave him a knowing look, to which Neito hid his face and faced away from her. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

Laughing at his behaviour, Akiko waved. "Let's talk later, okay, Monoma-kun?" Letting go of Akiko's comment, he nodded firmly. "Sure thing, Iwasa-chan."

* * *

Meanwhile, at the lunch table, Izuku was having a rough time. Fifteen minutes had passed with no sign of his friend, and he was beginning to stress a lot. Was she okay? Should he go look for her? Not only that, Eijou, Mina and Tsuyu all found their way to Izuku and all began to chat amongst each other (along with Ochako), but he found himself too distracted and scared to join in. Ochako and Tsuyu seemed concerned for him, and asked what was wrong a few times, but he pushed their thoughts away and told them he was fine. But the truth was, he wasn't. Did Akiko lie to him about being friends? Did she even like him as a person at all?

His anxiety diminished, and he sighed in relief. There was Akiko, entering the cafeteria, heading towards the line. Mina noticed this, and smirked. "Happy to see Iwasa-san here, I see?" Izuku hid his face. "I-I was just worried. She said she was g-gonna be here." Tsuyu gave Mina an advising look, expressing that this was not the time. Kirishima appeared oblivious to the entire exchange.

Akiko plopped down on the bench. "Sorry I was late, everyone. Had some business to deal with." She smiled at Izuku, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Upon looking at her white pupils, he saw that they seemed somewhat red and puffy. Was she crying..? "We'll talk later, Midoriya-san. I'm sorry." Izuku nodded, accepting this. Something bad must have happened, and he wasn't about to pry her for details and make her more upset.

The rest of lunch passed by well. Mina dared Eijirou to eat his lunch while using his Quirk, which was pretty hilarious. His jaw and mouth all became like stone, so he couldn't taste anything, and had trouble keeping his french fries in his mouth as it seemed to refuse to close. Tsuyu and Ochako had a nice conversation about what they thought of their teachers and classes, with Akiko joining them every now and then when she had something to add. The latter couldn't help but notice how quiet her new friend was, though.

Unfortunately, the bell rang and ended the group's lunch session. "Let's do this again. It was fun." Tsuyu commented, and everyone seemed to agree. Before Izuku could finish packing up and head to their next class, he felt Akiko nudge him a little and drop something in his open bag. As she passed, she sent him a smile, and went on her way to their mathematics class with Ectoplasm-sensei.

Curious, Izuku looked at what it was. It was a dark blue gemstone with yellow flecks, about the size of a yo-yo. It sparkled slightly in the cafeteria's light. Izuku turned it over, and noticed something - there was something carved into the stone. His face turned red for what must've been the thousandth time today as he realized it was Akiko's phone number.

Kirishima looked over Izuku's shoulder, and gave him a nudge on the arm. "Nice one, dude." He stammered and threw it into his bag as if to hide it. "U-um! Thanks!" Izuku responded quickly, his face an even deeper shade of red. Kirishima blinked and then let out a light laugh. "Well, this is gonna be interesting."

As he nearly ran to class, Izuku came to another realization: Akiko had won the challenge she had come up. What exactly did she have in mind for her prize?

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm shocked! We hit nearly 900 views! Thank you so much everyone!

Please don't be shy about sending reviews. I love getting them.

Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter Six - Down the Rabbit Hole

**Crystal Clear - Chapter Six**

Down the Rabbit Hole

" _Please get rid of that frown, it doesn't suit you. Smiling makes you look much nicer, you know?"_

When Akiko prepared to leave her first day of school behind, she was halfway outside the school's gates when her phone buzzed. It was hers, Neito's, and Itsuka's group chat again.

 _CopyCat_ _: Hey, sorry, I was gonna ask in person, but my mom dragged me off for ice cream. She's really excited for me to be in U.A., but I don't see why. It was bound to happen._

Akiko sighed and rolled her eyes, typical Neito.

 _CopyCat_ _: Anyways, how about the three of us head out to dinner later? I know a nice place at the mall that has really good tempura._

 _Battle-fist_ _: I wanna go! PLEASE!_

 _CopyCat_ _: Uh, you were already invited, Kendo-chan. Oh, and hope you don't mind the new nickname… Me and Akiko-chan had a nice chat earlier, and honestly, we've been friends for so long that it's strange we don't use 'chan' or 'kun' with each other._

 _Battle-fist_ _: You're right. Sorry, Usagi-san stole my phone and typed that last message. Can she tag along too?_

Akiko, confused, wondered who that could be. A student in Class 1-B? Shouldn't she have recognized that name from the rankings board, especially since it was such a strange one? Not many people had a surname of 'Usagi', meaning rabbit. She began typing a reply.

 _lapislazuli_ _: who's that? and sure monoma-kun, i'd love to. i love tempura._

 _Battle-fist_ _: A student in 1-B. You might recognize her as Hagiwara-san, she placed seventh?_

Akiko's posture stiffened in surprise. Seventh place, out of forty-something students? That was a pretty big deal.

 _CopyCat_ _: Sure, she can come if she wants. She's been constantly stuck to your side all day anyways._

 _Battle-fist_ _: I think it's pretty cute. She's like a little kid. Anyways, I gotta go, training. Let's meet up at 5?_

 _lapislazuli_ _: yep! see you then._

Closing out of her messenger app, Akiko wondered who this Hagiwara-san was. She seemed nice from the few things Itsuka said about her. As she headed on the subway home, she wondered if she would run into Izuku there again, but he was nowhere to be seen. Thinking about the green haired teen reminded her that she had given him her phone phone in a mischievous way, and she smirked. _'I wonder how long it'll take him to man up and send me a text?'_

Akiko arrived home to a crushing hug from her mother. "I'm so sorry I couldn't see you off, sweetheart. I'm so proud of you!" The shorter woman broke away and offered a big grin. "How was your first day?"

"It was pretty good!" Akiko noted. "I made lots of new friends, but sadly Kendo-chan and Monoma-kun are in the other class. But that's okay, Monoma-kun offered for all of us to head to mall for supper, so I think we're still gonna keep contact lots." The mother seemed pleased with that. "So, can I go?"

"Of course you can!" Mika replied eagerly. "You know I'm always for you hanging out with your friends. Let's go sit down and you can tell me all about what happened, though." Her eyes seemed to sparkle. "My little girl, a student in U.A.! I knew you'd make it in there, honey, you're so talented." Her expression shifted to one of remorse, however. "I'm sure your grandfather would be proud of you."

Akiko knew that he would, but it didn't help her hurt less when she heard the mention of her late grandfather. He passed away seven years ago, when Akiko was also only seven years old. It may have been a long time ago, but her memories of him were still vivid.

Hydro, a water-dwelling hero that could never be beaten. At least, that's what Akiko believed as a child. He was a talented, prestigious hero who did fire rescues. He saved countless people. Yet in the end, he couldn't save himself…

Snapping herself out of her thoughts, Akiko focused on her mother and telling her everything that had happened; about her teachers and classmates, and about Izuku, the kid with the strangest and most interesting Quirk she had ever seen.

* * *

The second Akiko reached their meeting place, she was practically attacked by small child. "Hiya there! What's your name? Are you Iwasa-san? I've heard so much about you, ya know! It's lovely to meet you!" The small figure was bouncing all around Akiko, she couldn't get a good look at them.

Itsuka was running towards them. "Usagi-san, calm down!" The moment she said so, the small figure stopped in place. "S-sorry Kendo-san! Guess I got a bit too excited." Now that they were still, Akiko could get a better look. She was incredibly short, probably less than five feet tall. She had short light pink hair, almost the colour of cotton candy. But the strangest thing about her… large, white bunny ears protruding from her head. _'Guess that explains her name being Usagi.'_ Akiko thought to herself.

Neito then appeared, so the group went off to the diner, chatting together as they did. "So, Kendo-chan told me you ranked seventh in the entrance exam." The sole male commented, curious. "How'd you manage that? You're so little, you look like you wouldn't harm a fly."

"I'm just as old as you, you know!" Usagi commented, pouting. "And even stronger than you, especially considering you placed dead last!" Neito scoffed. "I would have done better. I just… Did something stupid, that's all." He looked away, self-conscious. "Either way, my Quirk's pretty awesome. I can be just like a real bunny rabbit! I can jump super high, and hear things from far away, and I'm super quick! Combine all that and it was easy to take those giant robots down! I just confused 'em and made 'em trip up! Easy peasy!" Usagi rambled, her small chubby face lit up with excitement.

They had arrived at the diner and were waiting to be seated when Akiko brought up a question that had been on her mind for a little while. "So, Hagiwara-san, why does Kendo-chan call you Usagi-san? Isn't that your first name?" The smaller student nodded. "I don't like my family name. Usagi is much cuter, and it represents me too!" She pointed up to her bunny ears, which twitched in response. Her bright red eyes seem to light up as they saw a waitress approach, and lead them to a booth. Usagi didn't hesitate to sit right next to Itsuka, which Neito seemed mildly disappointed about.

Neito and Akiko both ordered fried tempura and dipping sauce, while Usagi went for a salad and Itsuka a cheeseburger. "So, how was everyone's first day?" Itsuka asked. "I'd say it was pretty hectic, getting used to U.A., but otherwise pretty enjoyable." "I loved it!" Usagi blurted as soon as Itsuka finished speaking. "I met so many new friends, and, and, I'm super hyped to become a real hero! Aren't you guys!?"

Neito shrugged, chuckling. "I mean, I suppose. It's just, I've known I will be a pro hero ever since I was little. It's hard to excited for it if it's bound to happen." Itsuka frowned deeply and used her Quirk to make her fist large, and nudge him roughly from across the table. "Oh, shush. You can't say that, especially since you barely passed the exam." She rolled her eyes. "Maybe for once you shouldn't let your cocky attitude show around strangers. It'd make a better impression." She gestured with her non-enlarged hand towards Usagi. "She probably thinks you're some kind of narcissist."

Neito pretended to gasp. "But I am! It's a part of my character, my dear Kendo-chan. You should know this by now." And with that, Itsuka and Neito began to argue back and forth. Sighing, Akiko shook her head. "Don't mind them, Usagi-san. This is normal." The bunny girl seemed contemplative. "You three really are close, huh…" She whispered, staring down at her swaying feet that could hardly touch the ground.

Itsuka, concerned, shrunk her hand and placed it gently on Usagi's shoulder. "Everything okay?" The younger-looking girl nodded, revealing some freckles that caught in the light. As Akiko noticed this, she frowned. Freckles… Izuku had those. Did he text her yet? Under normal circumstances, she would wait until dinner was over, but she had already finished her tempura. Pulling her phone out of her pocket and smiling at her phone case - it was made of morganite, she created it herself.

Within her notifications, the words "8 unread messages" struck her as odd. She never had that many texts unless the group chat was active, but it wouldn't be. Itsuka and Neito were right in front of her. Unlocking her phone with her fingerprint, Akiko's eyes widened. Seven messages from Izuku, one from her dad.

 _AllMightFan_ _: Hello… I'm hoping this is Iwasa-san and not someone else's number?_

 _AllMightFan:_ _How has your day been?_

 _AllMightFan_ _: I gotta admit, how you gave me your number was pretty sly._

 _AllMightFan:_ _It's nice though. I think I'm a lot less socially awkward over text._

 _AllMightFan_ _: Iwasa-san?_

 _AllMightFan_ _: Did I do something wrong?_

 _AllMightFan_ _: Haha… I hope everything is okay…_

 _AllMightFan_ _: I'm sorry for being annoying_

Akiko felt guilty for not answering him, her phone was muted. However, he sent all these messages over thirty minutes, so he was worrying way too much.

 _lapislazuli_ _: i'm fine, dude. just out to dinner with friends. sorry for not answering asap, but you should calm down a lil. if i'm quiet for 30 min that doesn't mean i died or whatever_

 _AllMightFan_ _: Okay. Sorry._

Akiko sighed deeply. She felt bad, maybe encouraging a normal conversation would help.

 _lapislazuli_ _: no, it's ok. my day's been pretty great, actually. ua is awesome. i'm surprised but happy you managed to text me, i was worried you'd wimp out lol_

After not getting a reply for about a minute, Akiko shoved her phone in her pocket and mentally scolded herself. She was not making this any better for him. When she looked up, Neito was staring at her curiously. "Who were you texting? You don't talk to anyone but us and your parents, and you're acting different."

Akiko looked away, ready to totally ignore his question. She was not ready to be teased about having a boyfriend _again_. Doesn't everyone realize she just met Izuku? They're not a thing. Itsuka interrupted. "Monoma-kun! Don't be so nosy! Iwasa-chan can talk to whoever she pleases without you butting in!" Neito rolled his eyes, crossing his arms, but quit. At least they didn't start arguing again.

Their meal continued peacefully. After splitting the bill between the four of them, the group left the diner. "Man, that was good food." Akiko praised the restaurant. "We should definitely go there again." Everyone seemed to agree with her.

Neito and Itsuka both had to go back home due to having something to do, leaving Usagi with Akiko. The shorter girl tugged on Akiko's long sleeve, resembling a child. "Hey, Iwasa-san… Can I ask you something? It's kind of personal, I mean, not for you, but for those two…"

Akiko raised an eyebrow, but nodded, her neck tilted down to look the bunny girl in the eye. "Sure, shoot." Usagi fiddled with her fingers, her right ear twitching a bit. She seemed shy, which was unusual for her normal bubbly personality. "Are Monoma-san and Kendo-san dating?"

The blue-haired teen started laughing. "Their bickering really does make 'em seem like an old couple, doesn't it? No, they're not dating. I don't think Kendo-chan is that interested. Why?" Usagi's red eyes widened, and she looked around before getting on her tiptoes to somewhat reach Akiko's ear. "I, um, I know I only just met Kendo-san, but she's really pretty… It's nice to know she's not taken, and that I still have a chance…"

Akiko beamed at her. "I support you all the way. You two would be cute together, after all… But, it might break Monoma-kun's heart if you go after her, and he's my friend too. So tell you what." She took out her phone, dismissed a notification from Izuku for the time being, and opened the group chat. "I'll secretly help the two of you go for Kendo-chan. That way, it's fair. And to make sure you're both even, I'll put you in the group chat." A brief message lit up;

 _User bunny_wabbit23 has joined the group._

"D-don't you think that's kind of fast? I o-only met her today!" Usagi stammered, her face a shade of red as well. Akiko was too distracted and didn't hear her, however. "Trust me, this'll be awesome."

With her enthusiasm, Akiko didn't realize that she was encouraging something for her friends she had been so against for herself- being paired with someone without a second thought.

* * *

Not long after parting with a flustered Usagi, Akiko plopped down on her bed. It had been a long day, and now she finally had a chance to text Izuku properly. She pulled her phone out while laying on her favourite stuffed animal.

 _AllMightFan_ _: I'm really sorry for going into such detail, but you need to know and it'd be easier for me to say over text._

 _I know I act all flustered around you, but I just want to tell you that isn't a gross or perverted thing. It's just… Me. I've always been nervous around everyone, but girls in particular._

 _lapislazuli: why is that?_

It took him a while to type a reply, but Akiko waited, a little impatient.

 _AllMightFan_ _: It's embarrassing, but I'll tell you._

 _When I was in junior high, I wasn't exactly popular. I didn't have any friends or anything. So I guess I was just desperate, but one day a transfer student moved to our class, and I thought this could be my opportunity to make a good impression on someone who knew nothing about me._

 _Her Quirk was really neat. It made her have button eyes. I don't really know anything about it. When we went to recess, I managed to go up to her, and introduce myself, and somehow I even got the confidence to call her eyes cute. I still don't know how I did it._

 _Anyways, she reacted by laughing at me and calling all her friends over. Called me pathetic for thinking someone like me could ever think to be friends with someone like her. Then she commanded a bunch of her friends, who were all girls, to use her Quirk on me. It hurt a lot._

 _And ever since, I've been nervous around girls. I know not all girls are like them. You're a perfect example of that. It's just… Me, I guess. I'm sorry._

Akiko was at a loss for words, for more reasons than one. That story sounded horrible, and disgustingly similar. She felt real empathy for Izuku. She couldn't suppress her curiosity, though. Why was Izuku so disliked during his middle school years, anyway?

 _lapislazuli_ _: i'm so sorry about that, midoriya-san. that bitch doesn't deserve anyone in her life, and neither do her friends._

 _i know you said that you can't really control your nervousness around girls, but can you try? for me? i know you don't think so, but just the thought of you being afraid of me doesn't work for me. i'm your friend, i don't want you to ever believe that, whether you want to or not._

 _AllMightFan_ _: I'll try. Thank you, Iwasa-san. I'll see you at school tomorrow?_

 _lapislazuli_ _: for sure. sleep well_

As Akiko plugged in her phone and prepped for bed, she recalled something. "Hey, mom?" She yelled from the bathroom, peeking out of the doorway with her mouth full of toothpaste. "When's the next family gathering?" Mika, who was heaving a basket of laundry down the hallway, paused outside the washroom. "Uh, in another two weeks or so, I think. Why?"

"Will Chiyo-chan be there?" Akiko asked while brushing her teeth, her words muffled. Her mother seemed puzzles. "She should be. Why would you want to see her?"

Akiko finished, and squeezed past her mom holding the large basket. Going into her room, she cut the conversation off: "No reason. Night night, mom.", Leaving Mika incredibly puzzled with her daughter's behaviour.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm really, really sorry for the huge delay everyone! I had some personal things to deal with. This chapter is super long to make up for it!

Guest: Wow, that must have been from a really long time ago! Glad you enjoyed, though.

RavenGoesToHeaven: That's great! I'm not sure what you mean, though. This really is a slow burn fic, Izuku doesn't like Akiko yet. We're only just getting started, haha. Hopefully this chapter explained why Izuku could seem flustered around Akiko? But thanks for your lovely compliments! 3


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